Saturday, June 24, 2017

Walter de Gnoushale; papal envoy and treasurer of Leighlin

Walter
de Gnoushale; papal envoy and treasurer of Leighlin

Niall
C.E.J. O’Brien

Introduction

In about 1351 Walter de
Gnoushale was treasurer at Leighlin cathedral. He held the position to some
unknown date prior to 1363 when John Young was treasurer. Who was Walter de
Gnoushale and can we trace his life in the surviving records? The medieval
records recount a number of clerics bearing the surname of Gnoushale. The name
of Gnoushale possibly came from Gnoushale in Staffordshire.

Ralph
de Gnoushale

In the early thirteenth
century England a cleric named Ralph de Gnoushale appears in the records. In
1227 Master Ralph de Gnoushale appears as an official in the Diocese of
Lincoln. He was possibly the same Ralph de Gnoushale who appears in the 1230s
in the Diocese of Salisbury. In August 1230 Master Ralph de Gnoushale, an
official in the Diocese of Salisbury, witnessed a deed of confirmation by
Robert, Bishop of Salisbury of certain churches and tithes gifted by his
predecessors to Abingdon Abbey. In April 1233 Ralph witnessed another deed of
confirmation by Bishop Robert of the church of Wrthe to Abingdon Abbey.[1]

Richard
de Gnoushale

In about the same time
that Ralph de Gnoushale worked in the English church, a cleric named Richard de
Gnoushale worked in Ireland. In about 1217 Master Richard de Gnoushale was
witness to a charter of Milo le Bret granting 20 shillings in Carricclidan to
the Hospital of St. John the Baptist outside the New Gate, Dublin.[2] In
1223 Richard de Gnoushale was archdeacon of Glendalough and prebend of
Castleknock in the Diocese of Dublin. A later record in 1228 showed Richard de Gnoushale
was still archdeacon of Glendalough at that time.[3]

Another
Richard de Gnoushale

In 1278 another Richard
de Gnoushale was a monk at Buldewas Abbey in Shropshire. In June 1278 Richard
de Gnoushale and Roger de Withinton were nominated as attorneys in England for
the abbot of Buldewas who was going overseas.[4]

Walter
de Gnoushale

An early reference to a
person called Walter de Gnoushale from Gnoushale comes from the ninth year of
Edward first. In that year there was appointed at Gnoushale Radulph de Hengham
and Reginald de Legh to take the assise of novel disseisin arraigned by Philip
son of Walter de Gnoushale against William de Senkewrthe, parson of the church
of Gnoushale, touching common of pasture in Gnoushale.[5]

First
appearance of Walter de Gnoushale

The earliest known
reference to Walter de Gnoushale in the surviving documents is for 1344 but
this document carries Walter’s history back to 1332. In 1332 Walter de
Gnoushale was in Ireland, working for the papal camera.[6] The
exact work that Walter de Gnoushale did for the papacy in Ireland is as yet
unknown but it is likely that collecting the papal taxation was the main work.
After 1221 collecting taxes was the chief activity of the representatives of
the papacy sent to Ireland.[7]

Government
office

The work of collecting
papal taxes by Walter de Gnoushale made him see the prospect of working for the
government in the same area of activity as a natural extension of his work and
as another source of personal income. The levy of procurations was the usual
source of income for papal envoys but it was often difficult to collect. This
was a small tax levied on the clergy by a papal envoy if he visited a parish or
diocese.[8]

Sometime before October
1338 Walter de Gnoushale began canvassing for the job of second chamberlain at
the Dublin exchequer. This position was held by Robert de Salkeld since 1334.[9] Walter
de Gnoushale lobbied the King and other officials to get the job. On 24th
October 1338 Edward III sent a letter to the Bishop of Hereford, keeper of the
land of Ireland, that he cause the office of second chamberlain of the
exchequer, Dublin, which Robert de Salkeld held, to be committed to Walter de Gnoushale,
to hold during pleasure, if he is fit for it, and will find security for his
good behaviour therein.[10] It
seemed that Walter de Gnoushale was only a step away from a government job but
the Bishop of Hereford didn’t think that Walter was “fit for it” and Robert de
Salkeld kept the position.

But this failure was
not the end of the story and sometime after Walter de Gnoushale renewed his
attempts to become second chamberlain at the exchequer. In March 1341 a letter
was sent from London to the treasurer and barons of the Dublin exchequer asking
for information on the attempt of Walter de Gnoushale to remove Robert Salkeld.
The Dublin officials replied that there was no reason why Robert Salkeld, who
was appointed during good behaviour, should be removed from office.[11]

Yet within a few months
Robert Salkeld was removed from office. His replaced not by Walter de Gnoushale
but by William de Puryton. Robert Salkeld appealed for unfair dismissal and
received king’s letters reappointing him as second chamberlain. But in June
1344 these letters were revoked when the king learnt that William de Puryton
held the job and was highly commended for his work. Robert Salkeld made another
appeal for his old job and was partially successful. He was restored as second
chamberlain until Trinity term 1349 while William de Puryton kept the office
until Easter term 1345. Yet each man worked for a six month period opposite the
other.[12]

Papal
dispensation and extension

Meanwhile Walter de
Gnoushale continued to work for the papacy in Ireland. Yet here also he was
restricted in maximising his earning potential. This was because of his
illegitimacy, the exact nature of which is unknown. Sometime before May 1344
Walter de Gnoushale was dispensed by the Pope on account of his illegitimacy so
that he could hold three benefices at any one time. On 29th May 1344
an extension to this dispensation was issued by the Pope at Avignon. At that
time Walter de Gnoushale was a cleric in the Diocese of Dublin. The reason
given for the extension was that Walter de Gnoushale had laboured in Ireland for
twelve years in the service of the papal camera.[13]

A
canonry in Dublin

On the 29th
May 1345 papal letters were issued to Walter de Gnoushale that in consideration
of his labours during twelve years in Ireland for the apostolic see, he should
be provided with a canonry of Dublin, with expectation of a prebend. The bishop
and archdeacon of Kildare were directed to help Walter get this provision.[14] Shortly
after Walter de Gnoushale successfully got the canonry in Dublin and held the
position for many years. Securing a prebendary was much more difficult.

A
canonry in Limerick

But Walter de Gnoushale
was not content with just the Dublin canonry and in 1346 petitioned the Pope
for a canonry in Limerick and for a further dispensation to be advanced to any
grade or dignity. He was still awaiting a prebendary in the Diocese of Dublin.[15] On
the 2nd September 1346 a further extension of the dispensation to
hold three benefices was issued to Walter de Gnoushale, and a grant of a
canonry in Limerick.[16]

Papal
nuncio’s representative in Ireland

On 7th April
1348 Master Walter de Gnoushale, canon of Dublin, received letters of
protection for two years in England while he lived in Ireland. Master Raymond
Pelegrini, king's clerk, canon of London and the Pope’s nuncio in England,
Scotland and Ireland, had appointed Walter de Gnoushale as his commissary and
vice-gerent in Ireland. The protection was for Walter de Gnoushale and for his
men and servants along with goods and things, belonging to Walter and the Pope.[17]

In the thirteenth
century the job of representing the papal nuncio in Ireland was usually held by
an Italian. By the end of the century this job was usually held by an
Englishman. The job was no cushy number. A previous English incumbent in 1254
wrote that he would never again set foot in Ireland on such a mission, even if
his commission was doubled. Laurence Somercot even said that he would go to
prison than to go to Ireland again.[18]

We don’t as yet have
any documentation to say how successful Walter de Gnoushale was at representing
the papacy and the papal nuncio in Ireland. His appointment was shortly
followed on by the Black Death which disrupted much of the organised life of
mid fourteenth century Ireland. Many clerics lost their lives in service of
their parishioners and the ability to collect papal taxation must have
suffered.

Ireland’s relationship
with the papacy in the second half of the fourteenth century was not just in
the area of the papal fiscal system but also included the increase number of papal
provisions to bishoprics. In the reign of Edward II there were just thirteen
papal provisions to Irish sees, yet by the time of Richard II virtually the
whole of the episcopate held office by provision of the Pope.[19]
This work and the increasing number of clerics “running” to Rome to obtain a
benefice or parish provided the papal representative in Ireland with much
work.

The relationship
between Ireland and Rome in the second half of the fourteenth century is still
an area where little research had been conducted. The activities of papal
envoys in Ireland are even less researched.

Leighlin cathedral

Treasurer
at Leighlin

In May 1348 Bishop
William St. Leger of Leighlin died at Avignon. He was succeeded by a Franciscan
friar, Thomas de Brakenberg. On 5th August 1349 Thomas de Brakenberg
received the temporalities of the Diocese from the King’s ministers.[20]
Sometime in all this change Walter de Gnoushale was appointed treasurer of
Leighlin. The papal nuncio or his chief representative often held a position in
some cathedral church. Raymond Pelegrini, papal nuncio to England was
archdeacon of Surrey which his successor, Hugh Pelegrini was treasurer of
Lichfield.[21]

In the absence of an
episcopal register for the Diocese of Leighlin it is difficult to know how
active Walter de Gnoushale was as treasurer of the cathedral. We can't even say
if he visited the cathedral or just lived elsewhere and received the income of
the treasurership in the post.

Further
extensions of his dispensation

In April 1351 Walter de
Gnoushale, canon of Dublin, and treasurer of Leighlin, got a further extension
of dispensation on account of illegitimacy so that he may hold three benefices,
and accept any dignity less than the episcopal, he having served the apostolic
see in Ireland for eighteen years.[22]

Before July 1351 Walter
de Gnoushale petitioned the Pope for a further extension of his dispensation. On
13th July 1351 papal letters were given to Walter de Gnoushale with
dispensation to hold any number of compatible benefices. By that time Walter de
Gnoushale held a canonry with a prebend in Dublin and the treasurership of
Leighlin with a canonry and a prebend.[23]

New
treasurer at Leighlin

Walter de Gnoushale
held the position of treasurer at Leighlin for an unknown number of years.
Sometime before 1363 he was succeeded as treasurer by John Young. In 1360 Bishop
Thomas de Brakenberg of Leighlin died and the Diocese of Leighlin was kept
vacant for three years. In 1363 the then treasurer of Leighlin, John Young, was
elevated to the office of Bishop of Leighlin. John Young served twenty-one
years as bishop in which he tried to recover the Bishop’s estates in troubled
conditions. In 1376 Bishop Young was plundered of all his property by rebel
Irish. John Young was twice Vice-Treasurer of Ireland.[24]

Trouble
in Limerick

As noted above, in 1346
Walter de Gnoushale obtained a canonry in the Diocese of Limerick. He worked in
the cathedral church and as a clerk for the bishop. He also obtained a benefice
in the Diocese. Walter de Gnoushale was still involved in the affairs of the
Diocese in 1358 but not always with the high praise for a good job. On 26th
June 1358 a government order was sent to Stephen Lawless, Bishop of Limerick, to
cause to come before the Justices at Limerick on 30th June 1358
Walter Gnoushale and Peter Godyng, clerks of the bishop, who have been indicted
in the King’s court of various enormities, contempt’s and trespasses
prejudicial against the King and royal crown. The clerks were to answer to the
King concerning these contempt’s and trespasses.[25]

The outcome of these
proceedings is as yet unknown. It is also unknown as to the fate of Walter de
Gnoushale after 1358. The records after that time do not record his name. It is
therefore impossibly to say if Walter de Gnoushale died in Ireland shortly
after 1358 or if he returned to England to live out his days. It is also
difficult to say for how many years he served as the representative of the
papacy and the papal nuncio in Ireland. As John Young was treasurer of Leighlin
before 1363 it may be possibly to conclude that Walter de Gnoushale died
shortly after 1358 and before 1363. In this dark area of the story we must
leave the life of Walter de Gnoushale that has been briefly extracted from the
pages of history and let the conclusion for another day.

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The medieval world seems so far away yet much of what we see and do today comes from that distant world. This blog will feature articles on the medieval world in Ireland and Britain - the Celtic 2 Realms - Hope you enjoy and have fun with all things medieval.